Handling Cancellations

Unilaterally cancelling a performance without the agreement of Live & Local will make you liable for the full company fee quoted in the Menu.

This information sheet will give you ideas to help manage the cancellation of your performance, limiting damage locally and to the rest of the Live & Local network of Promoters. I’m sure you appreciate that although you, we and the performers, know it is no longer happening, this isn’t the end of the story! There are a few things both yourselves and Live & Local need to do in the run-up to the date when it was due to happen.

Your own local publicity
Talk to as many ‘movers and shakers’ in your community as possible to gently let them know that the show will no longer be happening, e.g. the local shops, the vicar, the local school – all of whom could pass the message on quickly to others.

Be as positive as you can about the cancellation: ‘Postponed until a later date’ sounds better, you don’t have to tell them what date! Or perhaps simply the old faithful: ‘The event has unfortunately been cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control’.

• Contact people who have already booked and arrange refunds
• Get the contact details of people so you can tell them about the new date / next show.
• Are there any meetings / groups etc before the date who could announce it?
• Collect in your leaflets but LEAVE YOUR POSTERS UP with a simple message flashed across them announcing the cancellation.

We are likely to leave your performance on our website with a message saying that it is cancelled and to contact your box office regarding refunds and/or information about a possible new date.

Things we have no control over
There is Live & Local online and other information as well as your local marketing information out there, still announcing that your show is on.

You may get phone calls on your Box Office number, so make sure that your contact person is well briefed and it has an answer phone message to the same effect. If the show is on at another Live & Local venue (check our What’s On Diary), PLEASE, PLEASE show goodwill and suggest that the person enquiring might like to go there, or refer them to us.

The local press still think it’s on and may continue to plug it. We will send out a simple announcement telling them it’s cancelled and refer their enquiries to Live & Local.

On the night - VERY IMPORTANT THIS BIT!
Despite our best efforts, people might still turn up on the door. The likelihood is that they won’t be local as they would have heard about the cancellation via another means, so they could have driven some distance. It is best if you can arrange for someone to be there for around half an hour before and after the original start time to explain to people.

At the very least there should be an apologetic poster on the door of your venue: ‘We are sorry that this show has been cancelled; please contact xyz for further details’.

Preferably, have someone there to apologise to anyone who turns up – and direct them to the nearest, nicest local pub. Offer them a Live & Local What’s On Diary and tell them where else the show is on.

If anyone turns up and becomes upset / angry / horrible (!), suggest they phone us, or take their contact details and we’ll contact them to smooth over troubled waters.

It’s not a nice situation to be in, but managed sensitively, the Live & Local network of venues should all come out of it smelling of roses!

If you need to discuss anything / double-check anything do give us a call at the office.

Event Support Fund
Please see the 'Event Support' Fund sheet for further information.